1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a server apparatus and installation information making method for installing programs in information processing devices such as image forming devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
In image forming devices having functions such as printers and facsimiles, programs such as firmware are stored on a storage medium such as an SD (Secure Digital) memory card. The programs are then read from the storage mediums at the time of starting up the programs and are executed. Such multi-function image forming devices have been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-303222 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-303221. With this technology, in order to prevent falsification and unauthorized reproduction of programs recorded on the SD card, a license server is provided. A program is then stored within the SD card so that a serial ID of the SD card and the program are correlated via the license server. Correlation of the serial ID and the program is carried out, for example, by making an electronic signature file for the program using the serial ID. The program can then be safely installed at the SD card by carrying out authentication using the electronic signature file.
However, when a detachable storage medium such as an SD card is used, it is necessary to prepare a card slot for securing the SD card at the image forming device. There is therefore the fear that this will be expensive compared to using a storage medium provided within the image forming device. There is also the fear that it will no longer be possible to access programs stored in an SD card as a result of problems such as contacts failing while the SD card is inserted in a multi-function machine (multi-function image forming device) or the fear of the SD card itself being removed and becoming lost. It has therefore become desirable in recent years for firmware to be stored at a storage medium provided within a multi-function machine. With technology of the conventional device, it has been necessary to prevent unauthorized duplication of firmware stored in an SD card. Duplication of firmware stored on an SD card to a storage medium within an image forming device has therefore not been straightforward. Replacing of the technology of the conventional art where firmware is safely stored on an SD card so that the firmware is stored on a storage medium within an image forming device has therefore not been straightforward.